Sileby Town U17’s Regain Bragging Rights After Destroying Rivals Barrow.

Sileby Town Under 17’s continued their onslaught from last week with a demolition job of local rivals Barrow Town.

The North West League Group B fixture lasted just an hour which saw Sileby Town’s pace bowlers dismiss the home team for a miserly 14 all out from just 10.5 overs.

It took just under two overs for the away side to chase their target.

Captain James Preston installed Barrow Town to bat and it was the second over of the game when Adam Hackett had McParland caught behind for just one, which was the start of Barrow’s heavy collapse.

Fred Notman picked up two quick wickets in his second over bowling both Foster (0) and Wright (0) in three balls.

Breen’s (8) stubborn resistance at number two soon came to end, edging behind to Preston as Hackett picked up his second wicket of the evening.

Notman finished his spell with superb figures of 4-1-4-2 but it was Hackett who made Hurst (1) and Shelton (0) victims number three and four which resulted with outstanding figures of 4-2-6-4.

Preston introduced Patrick Dudley and Jacob Smith in to the attack with the score at 11-6 and with eight overs gone, he too got in on the act having McKew (0) caught at backward point.

Dudley saw off Barrow’s tailend with a double wicket blow, although the hosts had only ten players to use on the night.

With just 10.5 overs bowled, Sileby’s task could not have been easier with just 14 to win.

Godhania (2*) was ably assisted by Rob Scullion (13*) as his three fours off Breen’s over including a single, was enough to seal a quick and simple victory for Sileby Town.

Threesy win for Sileby as they shoot down the Messengers

 

Young bowler Charlie Banks’ picked up a hat-trick as Sileby Town Under defeated Shepshed Messengers by six wickets in the  U17’s North West League Group B Division.

The 15 year-old comprehensively removed Shepshed’s tailend batsman in fashionable style, removing the bails in all three dismissals as Shepshed finished up on just 54 in the 17th over.

After winning the toss, James Preston stuck the opposition in to bat and the decision paid dividends with Fred Notman and Jacob Smith opening the bowling and conceding very little runs in their opening spell between them.

However, with Notman and Smith going wicketless despite their tidy start, it was Patrick Dudley who made the breakthrough, removing Goy (9) after he picked out George Smith at mid-on.

Adam Hackett then picked up Booth (1), clean bowling the number three, leaving Shepshed on 22-2 in the ninth over.

Dudley was at it again, this time clearing up the opener Thacker (7), putting the visitors in bit of turmoil with just ten overs remaining. He eventually went on to complete his four overs, conceding just ten runs in a pleasing bowling spell.

Hat-trick hero Banks’ first over will be one to forget though as he went for 13 as Messenger’s look to add runs on to the board. However, it was halted when George Smith dismissed Evans (10) and Parker (11) in his first over.

But it was Bank’s second over that was the highlight of the game. Spencer (3), Laver (0) and McKenzie (0) all succumbed to the junior’s full pitch delivery as he bowled all three in spectacular style, much to the jubilation of his team mates who congratulated him on his efforts.

He picked up the final wicket of Newton (0) as Messengers finished on 54 all out after Barson (0) found Notman at short extra cover off the bowling of Nathan Preston with his first delivery.

Banks’ finished up with the figures of 2.3-0-15-4, and he as well as the team can be proud of their bowling performances today (Monday).

Sileby’s chase was lead by M Godhania (4) and Rob Scullion, but a mix up in communications and Godhania’s slip allowed Messengers to pick up their first wicket as the opener failed to return home, gifting the away side a run out.

Cameron Gilchrist was given the opportunity at three to build a partnership with Scullion (2) before he too was run out coming back for a second.

Sileby found themselves at 16-2 in the sixth over when Fred Notman came in at number four. Notman got off to a comfortable start along with Gilchrist (7), but left arm seamer Booth dismissed the latter, removing his bails for just seven. Notman (7) fell victim to Booth with the same delivery and with just nine overs remaining, the home side still required 21 as they were 34-4 when Hackett and James Preston came to the crease.

But ill-discipline bowling and 21 extras by Messengers was enough to see Sileby over the finishing line. Hackett finished up on 11* and Preston 3* as the hosts won with six overs remaining.

Charlie Banks’ has now two hat-tricks to his name, following up from last season and he will be looking to do the same next week as Sileby face local rivals Barrow, away.

Sileby suffer setback at Ivanhoe

 

Sileby Town’s slow start to the Division 2 campaign continued as they suffered their first defeat of the season at Leicester Ivanhoe losing by four wickets.

 

Despite the morning torrential downpour  in Leicester Forest East, the game got underway on time and captain Ben Cavey’s decision to bat first in overcast conditions had favoured the Ivanhoe bowlers early on, much to the visitors disadvantage.

Just four balls gone in to the first over, Cavey (0) was dismissed by umpire Clark, as he was judged to have been leg before wicket to the bowling of Mark Shortland.

Rob Moore followed at three as he signalled his intent with some crashing boundaries early on in a partnership of 18 with Adam Hackett, before he was bowled by Amir Sultan for just 2 off 23 deliveries.

Sileby soon found themselves in a spot of bother at 45-4 and 67-5 with Mo Khan (2) caught behind and Joe Charity (1) trapped in front of the stumps, as Rob Moore stood helpless at the other end, who continued to strike impressively against Ivanhoe’s bowlers.

Moore was joined by the eventual unbeaten Dan Tompkins and with Moore freeing his arms in a brief partnership of 22, Tompkins began to play with great confidence, the longer he was at the crease.

Moore (49) was eventually dismissed, falling one short of his half-century as he was bowled by Dyer.

With Moore’s departure, the incoming Sean Dudley engineered a fight back worth 63 with Tompkins as they were to stop the rot. Both men had grafted in the relatively tough batting conditions, ensuring Sileby had reached their first batting point.

Dudley’s stubborn resistance finally ended as his top edge off Hunt fell to cover for a vital 30. Ruddle (5*) and Tompkins (50*) saw out the end of Sileby’s innings as they ended up on 144-6 with the latter reaching his half century in 89 balls.

After tea, a returning Phil Chamberlain opened the bowling with Lila Godhania as they looked to defend a modest total. Opening pair Yeow and Jon Beaumont had gone about the chase in heavy fashion, with Yeow punishing Godhania with two early boundaries in just the second over.

Chamberlain’s breakthrough saw Yeow and Beaumont both dismissed in the seventh and ninth over respectively, with Yeow (9) caught behind to Dudley and Beaumont trapped in front his stumps for 14.

However, Newberry and Crowley had managed to anchor the innings and the partnership of 75 proved to be a match winning one.

Godhania’s spell of 7-2-22-0 and medium pacer Ryan Dawson’s tight figures of 7-2-13-0 were unrewarded despite their fine bowling efforts.

Hackett managed to remove Crowley (42) at 99-3 after the left handed and lofted it straight to Ruddle at mid-on which brought Jake Beaumont to the crease in an important situation. The young right hander however failed to help carry on where Crowley had finished, and Cavey picked up his first wicket as Beaumont (1) picked out Charity at point.

With the score at 102-4 with just over nine overs remaining, the game was tightly poised for a good finish.

Geary (12) lasted just 15 balls before Ruddle bowled him, after he tried to sweep the medium pacer over mid wicket.

At 127-5, it had seemed Sileby were close to getting something from the game as Ivanhoe entered their 43rd over. Cavey then picked up his second wicket dismissing Shortland for 5.

But it was R Newbery who ended up unbeaten on 45 along with A Newbery (4*) as they sent Ivanhoe over the finish line in the 44th over.

Ivanhoe pick up 22 points for their deserved victory, and Sileby came away with just 6 despite their defeat.

The Leicester Forest East side move in to third now, eight points behind leaders Loughborough Town and three behind Hinckley Town as they sit in second.

Sileby will look to overturn the loss as quickly as possible as they welcome Loughborough Town at home next Saturday as the Mill Lane outfit sit in ninth place with just 18 points to their name.

The state of Rangers Football Club.

 

So where did it all go wrong for Rangers Football Club?

Since venture capitalist Craig Whyte acquired Sir David Murray’s 85.3% shares in the Scottish champions in May 2011, the club were doomed before they knew it when he took over the club for just £1.

This is the story of Rangers downfall.

Predecessor Murray was owner of Rangers from 1988 - 2011, after a £6,000,000 takeover from Nevada-based Lawrence Marlborough. During his time at the Glasgow club, Murray oversaw Rangers win nine consecutive league championships from 1989-1997, during the period of when Graeme Souness (1986-1991) was in charge.

Walter Smith took charge (1991-1998) and a new training complex was built, an idea that Murray thought that the club would see Rangers’ mount a serious challenge in European glory. The club went on to win two more League titles and three cups. Despite their glory, the costs soon started to build up.

“For every five pounds Celtic spend, we will spend ten.” This was the statement Murray made that would soon become the avalanche of Rangers’ debt problems.

Manager Dick Advocaat replaced Walter Smith after Celtic won the SPL and he went crazy with big name signings joining the Ibrox club such as Paul Gascoigne (reported fee of £4.3m), Ronald de Boer (£4.5m) and Tore Andre Flo (£12m) during the 2000/2001 season.

Advocaat’s reign ended when Celtic won the title back in 2001, and Rangers’ were soon reaching debts of up to £50,000,000. Murray sanctioned the Employee Benefit Trusts (EBT). This was to minimise the club’s tax liabilities for employment.

The problem was with the this tax strategy was that it was meant to be used for non-contractual payments to employees.

In 2002, with doubts totalling up to £80,000,000, Murray stood down as Chairman and handed over to John McClelland.

Murray returned just two years later looking to clear off the debts that were owed, looking to pump in £57,000,000 to reduce any outstanding debts. Only £51,000,000 were raised, but underwritten however and it was transferred off Rangers’ books and into his company, Murray International Holdings (MIH).

Murray revealed in 2006 that he was considering in cutting ties with the Scottish club and was quoted saying: “It's not a 'For Sale' sign per se, but obviously I don't want to do this forever.”

Fast forward amidst the crisis the club themselves in and in 2011, Murray sold his shares to Wavetower Limited, owned by the company Liberty Capital, ultimately owned by Craig Whyte.

Who is Craig Whyte? In a nutshell, Whyte is a Scottish businessman brought up in a business orientated family, and at just 15, after taking an interest in financial markets, it is reported that the teenager made more than £20,000 buying and selling shares before he left school.

He went on to own his plant-hire company called Whyte Hire. But in the early 1990’s the business went bankrupt with debts reported to be around £300,000.

At just 26, he was Scotland’s youngest self-made millionaire. After selling off most of his businesses, he moved to Monaco. He soon returned back to the United Kingdom, returning to London as a venture capitalist.

He become the head of London based company Liberty Capital, a business that specialises in turning around distressed businesses and eventually selling them on, despite it being dangerous, he made it a successful business.

His purchase of Rangers Football Club for £1 was not taken lightly, despite then manager Walter Smith welcoming Whyte’s takeover saying that it would “bring stability to the club.”

Whyte said he would clear off the overdraft of £18,000,000 owed to Lloyds TSB but there were immediate doubts. The uncertainties of the businessman’s ability to provide funds for the football club were soon echoed by former board members Alistair Johnston and Paul Murray. The history of the Scot is misty and far from bright and his murky past was exposed by BBC Scotland’s documentary Rangers: The Inside Story, which was aired in October 2011.

The documentary claimed that Whyte had illegally been a ‘de facto’ director of a company called Re-Tax during a seven year period in which he was banned from doing so.

Convicted fraudster and a well known associate of Whyte, Kevin Sykes was the ‘fake auditor’, who looked to sell off the company before it was wound up in 2003.

The allegations were supported from a member of Insolvency Service and was revealed that he was banned after his previous company, Vital Holdings Ltd, failed to produce satisfactory accounts.

This was followed by various other acts that lead to his ban such as claiming he had made a payment to Inland Revenue, to which they say they still have not yet received the £100,000 that was owed.

Back to the takeover of Rangers FC, Whyte waltzed in to Ibrox, with his past thought to be rosy, and considered to be a saviour to the Scottish giants.

On his purchase, Whyte said at the time: “Obviously I'm a massive Rangers fan and have been since I was a boy. I'm here first and foremost because I'm a Rangers supporter. I also see a great opportunity and think that Rangers can be a great worldwide brand. I believe there are many commercial activities that can be expanded on.”

Whyte planned to clear off Rangers’ £18,000,000 overdraft to Lloyds TSB and provide a working capital, which seemed to have convinced everyone involved with the club.

Former Chairman Alistair Johnston, along with former Chief Executive Paul Murray who were booted out by Whyte, expressed their concerns soon after they were removed from the board.

Bitter? You can see where Johnston and Murray were coming from. The £33,000,000 that Whyte pledged to put in to the club to help clear the overdraft  apparently went and sold the future rights for Rangers’ season tickets to a company called Ticketus. 

Where was the money? The greater chances were that he never had the funds to pump in to the football club and no overdraft was cleared, plunging the club into greater financial crisis.

The growing problem had only just begun, and as we fast forward to today, and today the overall debt is monumental.

HM Revenue and Customs are owed £93,000,000. This relates to the big and small tax cases, unpaid VAT and PAYE.

Other football clubs are owed money it seems, with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Celtic and Dundee United being a select group of teams that are waiting to be owed.

Reports from the BBC state that Ticketus are now owed £26,700,000, debenture owners (fans who loaned money to the club) are totalled up to £7,700,000.

Other funded bodies are also owed, such as the Strathclyde Police, Scottish Ambulance Service and Glasgow City Council being amongst just three of many that are in line to be paid back by the football club.

This shocking report has jeopardised many members of Rangers’ staff, including players, coaches and club staff and losses have been made since the club entered administration some six weeks ago, reports suggest the club have lost more than £2,500,000.

On the field, the ten point deduction has hampered the club’s hopes for a second successive League title, with Celtic running away in pole position. But the results on the field now do not seem to matter any more with the club in such a crisis and in a shambolic state, Rangers are in a very dark hole.

Administrators Duff and Phelps are doing their best to help the club out of the mess that arguably Whyte has got the club in to, but you could look further back to when Murray started spending millions and millions when Advocaat was in charge.

Whyte had not helped the cause, and the fact that he did not even take the fit and proper persons test is an outrage. How he managed to be considered a businessman is highly questionable.

The Scottish FA have slapped a 12 month transfer ban on the Ibrox outfit and the imminent lifetime ban on Craig Whyte in any future involvement in Scottish football.

As a result of this, Rangers’ woes continued as the Scottish FA fined the club £160,000. In regards to the transfer ban, the club can now only sign under 18 players in the next year. The embargo was hit after the club brought the game in to disrepute.

Whatever happens next for Rangers Football Club is vital. For a club as big as them to be in so much trouble is colossal. The club must get out of this as soon as possible or Scottish football would be in grave danger as a result of their demise.

As for Craig Whyte, it’s about time he was banned from any involvement, but for Rangers Football Club to have suffered just as much as Whyte is unjustified. Let’s just hope there is light at the end of the very, very dark tunnel the Glasgow club find themselves in.

 

Leicestershire make promising start with win over Glamorgan thanks to Joseph.

 

Twelve months ago, Leicestershire CCC defeated Glamorgan in the Liverpool Victoria County Championship Division Two fixture, which would turn out to be the Foxes only victory in the 2011 season.

The league’s basement boys from last season look to have turned the corner this season with a convincing win in the same fixture as last year thanks to new acquisition Robbie Joseph’s demolition of the Welsh side with match figures of 12-111.

Leicestershire’s season look to have got off to a faulty start with Greg Smith and Jacques du Toit  departing with the first two balls of the new season thanks to Huw Waters, caught behind and leg before wicket respectively.

With overseas star and former West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan making his debut at Grace Road, he watched at the other end as Matt Boyce was removed, gifting Waters his third wicket in just his second over.

Josh Cobb joined Sarwan as they were able to stop the rot after finding themselves at 1-3.

Cobb enjoyed a terrific season in 2011 despite the club struggling in both the four day format and one-day games but the top-order batsman was one of the club’s stars as he helped Leicestershire win another T20 medal.

Sarwan made his mark on his first game for the club with a stubborn 41 off 110 balls but was soon back in the pavilion after Wagg had the West Indies’ batsman trapped for leg before.

The middle order all made starts but failed to push on, however, veteran Claude Henderson’s efforts supported by Wayne White and Robbie Joseph helped Leicestershire past the 200 runs mark giving the Foxes their first batting points of the season.

Henderson soon reached his first half-century of the season and his 57 runs helped Leicestershire up to a respectable score of 249, despite falling agonisingly short of the second batting point, score of 250.

Enter Robbie Joseph. The new addition comes with fire since his departure from Kent CCC, and he immediately made his mark on the club as he opened up with captain Matthew Hoggard

With two wickets apiece from Hoggard and Nadeem Malik, Joseph was the star of the show removing Glamorgan’s bottom order as well as dismissing top-order batsmen Walters and Bragg.

Former Fox James Allenby became Joseph’s third victim followed by Wallace, Wagg and Croft all falling to the seamer’s attack.

Leicestershire collected their full quota of bowling points and it was their turn to add runs to the scoreboard which would set Glamorgan a score they would have to chase going in to the final day.

The home side’s second innings total was the Leicestershire of old, a score that failed to see Leicestershire win any more games in the previous games.

Albeit, the Foxes revived their efforts with thanks again to Robbie Joseph in the visitor’s second innings.

With figures of 6-64 in the second innings, Joseph helped Leicestershire record their first victory of the new season and the club have got the ball rolling.

Both sides were docked points due to slow over rates, with Leicestershire losing five points and Glamorgan one, as the hosts collected 15 points and the visitors only two.

There’s a new fire of optimism at Grace Road. Lead by Hoggard, his leadership will be invaluable to the young players once again this season. The former Yorkshire man will have a controlled front-line bowling attack followed by the experience of Nadeem Malik and young seamer Wayne White.

Sarwan brings tonnes of experience to the Leicestershire camp following his international career with the West Indies for many years. The younger batsmen around Sarwan will learn greatly from the overseas as he looks to help the club improve from last season.

Cobb will look to follow up his form from last season in to the new season in all formats. There is no doubt there is a lot of talent in his locker, he used that to great use, especially in the club’s triumphant T20 season with his off-spin and his slogging mentality.

Lloyd Tenant and Phil Whitticase can take positives from the result over Glamorgan. It was always vital Leicestershire pick up their first win as early as possible. The two coaches can continue the club’s fine start to the season as they now prepare to face local rivals Derbyshire away from home.

Match Scorecard

Foxes Managerial Merry-Go-Round Resumes

Earlier this week, Sven-Goran Eriksson was again out of a job, this time at Leicester City.

The Swede, who took over in October 2010, oversaw a 3-0 home defeat to struggling Millwall in the nPower Championship on Saturday, which was to be his final game in charge for the Foxes.

"It was always my aim to lead the club into the Premier League.
"I am very sorry I won't be able to do that. Being the manager of Leicester was an absolute pleasure."

The east Midlands club were favourites to win the league this season, after a £15 million war chest was handed to the former England chief, but Eriksson has had a steady start to the new season, as the club currently lie in 14th place, but the board felt this was not good enough after signing the likes of Matt Mills (£5m), Kasper Schmeichel (undisclosed) and Gelson Fernandes.

Eriksson and Leicester City have both struggled for stability respectively in recent seasons.

Since departing the England national role in 2006, Sven has been in charge of four teams in five years, not forgetting his role as Director of Football at Notts County in League 1. From Manchester City to Mexico, to the Ivory Coast in the last World Cup and then finding himself in the east Midlands.

Meanwhile, Leicester City have chopped and changed since Martin O' Neill left the club back in 2000. No more than 11 managers have come and gone.

The abysmal era of Peter Taylor took over the following season. Micky Adams briefly enjoyed a successful spell between 2002 and 2004 promoting the Foxes in the old Division 1, before admitting he has took the club "as far as he can go", just after relegation in their solitary season back in the Premier League.

Scotsman Craig Levein left Hearts in the SPL in 2004 to join Leicester, and in three seasons, City installed four more managers with Rob Kelly, Martin Allen, Gary Megson and Ian Holloway who all failed to stop the rot at the King Power Stadium, then known as the Walkers Stadium.

Eventually, Leicester City were relegated under the stewardship of Holloway. Despite joining an already sinking ship, Holloway was relieved of his duties under owner Milan Mandaric.

Nigel Pearson's availability was seized upon by Mandaric, and it had seemed the good times had come back round. Leicester bounced back into the Coca-Cola Championship within the first time of asking, and Pearson and the Foxes continued their good form into the new campaign. They reached the play-offs but fell to runners up Cardiff City in Wales.

Pearson's departure came as a huge shock to many Leicester fans. The Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough legend left the club after it had seemed former Swansea manager Paulo Sousa had held talks with Mandaric during the play-off semi final defeat to which Pearson left the club to go on to pastures new.

Sousa installed and City suffered a woeful start into the new season. The 6-1 away hammering to bottom of the league Portsmouth was enough for the board and fans as the Portuguese's contract was cut short.

New owners had took over from Mandaric, and Eriksson was in place to steer the City ship away from the dark depths of the relegation zone.

Successful he was. The club just missed out on the play-offs this time around. The loan signing of Yakubu signalled the saucy Swede's intentions of taking the club back in to the promised land.

A year on from his appointment, both parties are looking elsewhere.

Football is a cruel game. In a results-based industry, Sven failed to produce this term. Many believe he hadn't had long enough, many felt he was clueless with his formations and the starting line up. Whichever way you look at it now, a new era dawns on Leicester City yet again.

An Interview with Paul Nixon

There are not many cricketers in the modern game who manage to reach the age of 40 and still have the desire to continue playing. Former England wicket-keeper and Leicestershire legend Paul Nixon is one of that rare breed.

“Nico”, as he is affectionately known as by his team-mates and coaches, is about to enter his 23^rd season as a professional cricketer, and the Cumbrian is pleased to have signed a new one year contract last October.

He said: “I’m delighted to get another contract. There aren’t many players that have played four decades. I think there are only four of us, Dominic Cork, Mark Ramprakash, Robert Croft and myself, so I’m delighted.”

He joined Leicestershire in 1989 as a youngster. In the 22 seasons that have passed, Nixon has represented Kent as well as two stints in a Foxes shirt. An IPL (Indian Premier League) invite for Delhi Giants to go along with a call up to the England squad in Australia in 2007, and a World Cup selection in West Indies in the same year.

The evergreen professional has enjoyed two County Championship titles with Leicestershire, a Norwich Union – One Day title with Kent, two Twenty20 cup wins, as well as four consecutive finals days in the first four seasons of the new competition. 

Nixon recalled his time during the Jack Birkenshaw era, when the club dominated cricket for many seasons.

“The team (1996 and 1998 County Championship winning sides) were just peaking, just like the England Rugby team who won the World Cup. Each player was really starting to know his game. It was a small squad, so we knew we had to be fit and up for the challenge, and we knew our resources were smaller than the test playing counties,” Nixon said.

“We had a great atmosphere, we were very positive. James Whitaker (Head Coach) instilled that in every person.

“Jack [Birkenshaw] loves the game, passionate about the game and that rubs off on the players. I was delighted he had the success down here. He’s a well loved character in the game.”

Nixon believes his call up to England was probably the highlight of his career.

“For me, walking out in Sydney in the first Twenty20, representing England versus Australia. When you get picked for England, and then you play for England, then it’s your dream. That’s what it is all about. You walk out with the ‘Lions’ on your shirt. To see the ‘Barmy Army’ and the thousands there, it was a very special moment.”

Four years on, Nixon has handed his keeping duties to Tom New to become a specialist batsman in first-class cricket.

However, a knee-injury in pre-season training has forced him to rest for a few weeks. But he is optimistic that he will be fit for the first game of the season.

He said: “I tore my cartilage eight days ago in training doing some sprints, but fortunately I got surgery straightaway. I’m back running again, and I really can’t wait for the new season.”

After recent seasons in which Leicestershire have struggled in Division Two of the Liverpool Victoria County Championship (LVCC), the Foxes enjoyed a good season under the captaincy of shock signing,  former England and Yorkshire paceman Matthew Hoggard. The club finished fourth, but narrowly missed out on finishing in the top three.

“Our goal is to get Division One status. That is one of our targets. We were only literally a couple of points from going up. We had a relatively young squad as well as our overseas Andrew McDonald,” he said.

“Hopefully, I’ll have a great year for Leicestershire, and as Virender Sehwag always says, ‘the sun always shines for another innings’.”